Change of Scenery
by JosephineLL
Summary: Challenge from CJ -- first kiss -- TuS


Title: Change of Scenery  
  
Author: Josephine  
  
Email: Lovellama@aol.com  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Genre: Challenge from CJ/Romance/and it ended up being sappy.  
  
Codes: Tu/S  
  
Summary: First Kiss  
  
Notes: I'm expounding on a memory Trip has in a chapter I wrote in the RR Home is Where the Heart Is, but this is from Hoshi's viewpoint.  
  
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Boredom.  
  
After nearly four weeks stuck on this ship with no other planets to visit, much less shore leave to go on, I'm about to crawl out of my skin. I feel like I live in a rabbit warren, tunnels everywhere. Grey tunnels that go on forever; each one just like the one behind it, just like the one in front of it. At times my claustrophobia comes rushing back and it feels like the walls are about to close in on me. I bolt to the observation lounge and plaster myself against the window, looking out into the vastness of space. But there's no point of reference, and it just ends up looking like a piece of black velvet with sparkles on it; flat, with no depth.  
  
Thank God for Trip. He's kept me sane when I've wanted to run screaming down these shrinking corridors. Whenever I need to talk he's there; whenever I need to just be, he lets me. His sense of humor is a lifesaver too; we've ganged up on a number of the crew together without anyone knowing. He helped me get back at Travis for that gelatin stunt; it wouldn't have been as wickedly satisfying without the twist he gave it. Trip introduced me to the sweet spot; at first I threw up, but now I go to get rid of that closed in feeling. I turn off the lights, strip down to my tank and boxers, and just float. It's like a sensory deprivation tank. Sometimes Trip comes too, and we float together, neither of us saying a word.  
  
He's become a good friend.  
  
I remember all the things he's done for me as we bounce around in the shuttle along with a bunch of the other crew who are dressed for ice climbing. We've found a young M class planet with lots of mountains that the Captain, Travis, and Malcolm can't wait to go climb. Snow covered, of course. I 'regretfully' declined joining them. Snow is nice when you're inside with a hot toddy in front of a roaring fire, not wondering if the ice bridge you're in the middle of is strong enough to hold your weight.  
  
Travis started in on how much fun it would be and it really wasn't all that dangerous and how they would take good care of me and again on how much fun it would be . I threw a pleading look over at Trip and he broke in on Travis' blathering and said we already had plans, thank you anyway.  
  
So here we are, waving good-bye to the insane ice climbers from one of the foothills of the mountain they are going to (try) to scale. Before the shuttle is even 100 meters away I put them out of my mind and turn my face to the sun, breathing deeply. I've forgotten how good fresh air smells. Even on Earth there is still some pollution, and don't even mention the recycled stuff on the ship. I wander through the meadow, looking at all the strange flowers. Trip has got his camera out, of course, and is snapping away. I laugh to myself at a memory, then start spinning in place, arms wide, pretending to be Maria Von Trapp. My ponytail has loosened, and I pull the elastic off, letting my hair whip around me in the breeze. To be off the ship, to be in the open, to be free .  
  
Getting dizzy I laugh aloud and fall down, the world still dancing around me. I see the flowers bobbing their heads, and the blue sky with white clouds scudding through it above me. Still smiling, I turn my head to see Trip, taking my picture. That sets me off again for some reason, and I laugh some more as he flops down beside me.  
  
The laughter dies in my throat as I catch the way he's looking at me. My heart is pounding and I get a sinking feeling in my stomach as he leans closer. I can't breathe, I can't move as the space between us narrows, and then becomes nonexistent as his lips touch mine.  
  
Oh God.  
  
They're warm, and soft, but firm; his tongue comes out to skim over my bottom lip and my mouth opens on its own and somehow my tongue has come out to meet his. My hands spread over his chest and his arm wraps around my waist and I sigh at the touch, warmth spreading through my belly like I've downed three shots of Tequila all at once.  
  
What am I doing?  
  
And why haven't I done it before?  
  
He breaks off the kiss and we stare at each other, my breath coming in gasps as I remember to breathe. I see wariness in his eyes, and . guilt? Does he regret kissing me? Was it a 'sorry, swept away by the moment' kind of thing? The warmth in my belly has turned to ice, and I'm scared that he does regret it, that it's over, that the friendship between us is over .  
  
But he bends his head again, and this time I meet him halfway, my hands coming up to tangle in his hair so he can't move. He partially rolls on top of me, pushing a leg between mine; his weight feels so good on me and my body arches into him, wanting more contact. The walls I built to keep my feelings for him under control break, and I shake with the realization of how much he's come to mean to me.  
  
We lay together amongst the flowers, sometimes talking, sometimes not. We eat the lunch we've brought. I weave him a daisy chain and set it on his head, taking a picture when he isn't looking. Before I know it the shuttle comes for us, and Trip pulls me to my feet, quickly kissing me again before the hatch opens. Helping me into the shuttle, Trip never lets go of my hand. As we lift off, I watch the meadow recede under us until it's gone.  
  
Back in my cabin I press one of the flowers from Trip's daisy chain in a book, placing the rest in a glass of water. That night the fragrance of them fills the room, mixing with the scent of Trip as I lay against him, drifting off to sleep.  
  
***** 


End file.
